Dumbledore's animagus; invisibility

[ohnooboe]

No: HPFGUIDX 115379




> Finwitch:

> So I *don't* think that Dumbledore's ability to become invisible 
> without a cloak has anything at all to do with animagi. With a 
whole *section* of books about invisibility, I'd say there are 
*plenty* of other ways. I think Dumbledore casts an invisibility 
charm on himself to wander around the hallways unseen...


Patrick here...

Though I think it's likely that there are ways to become invisible 
without a cloak (that section of the library probably has many.) it 
seems too convenient that we've already seen Rita Skeeter "become 
invisible" by becoming a beetle (she's now set the precedent).  JKR 
seems to have carefully thoughtout nomenclature in these books.  
Dumbledore means "bumblebee".  

Also, if becoming invisible by charms was so easy/popular that there 
are books enough to fill a section of a library, why bother with an 
invisibility cloak?  They're rare and expensive.  Who needs that 
hassle when many learned wizards could probably perform the charm on 
themselves.  Granted, Dumbledore is probably the best wizard, but I 
can't believe that EVERY "possible charm" in the books is out of the 
reach of most wizards.  

Unless Dumbledore's invisibility charm plays some big role later, I 
don't think that will be the case.  It's seems like a major deus ex 
machina.  We've seen animagi, we've been warmed up to them, and 
now "Woops, Dumbledore's an animagus!".  That just seems more likely 
to me.

My 2 knuts...

Patrick.